No leads in racial vandalism at UK

Posted: Sat 9:39 AM, Oct 13, 2007

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - Police have no leads or suspects in an investigation into a racist message written on the door of a black University of Kentucky student's dorm room, the acting chief said Friday.

Maj. Joe Monroe, acting chief of the campus police department, said police learned about the vandalism Monday after receiving a call from a worker at the residence hall.

The message, written in marker, included the word "Die" followed by a racial epithet.

"We have not had any reports of anything else of this magnitude," Monroe said. "We're viewing it as an isolated incident. This is not something that commonly occurs at the university."

Monroe said he suspected the vandalism was related to a controversial cartoon printed last week in the student paper. The cartoon, printed in the Kentucky Kernel, depicted a bare-chested black student on an auction block with his leg chained.

The newspaper issued an apology for the cartoon, and its opinion editor resigned.

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